Talk Like an Egyptian: Egyptian Influence and Appropriation in the Book of Exodus

<p>Problem</p> <p>It is an inarguable truth that ancient Egypt has left a legacy upon world culture. However, the one area of Egyptian influence and legacy that remains to be studied in greater scholarship is the Bible. While many have made observations in effort to detract from and even outrightly refute any Egyptian influence on the Bible, one merely need read through any number of passages in the Bible (particularly the Old Testament) to witness just how large of an imprint is made upon it by ancient Egypt.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Within just the limits of the book of Exodus alone, one finds ample evidence of the author’s familiarity with Egypt in many facets. Several times, certain thematic elements, conscious word choices and omissions, and very clever wordplay all reveal a thorough knowledge and understanding of Egyptian cosmology, worldview, and culture. Even more telling is the sheer number of words, phrases, and terminology that is appropriated from Egyptian vocabulary. There are also numerous occasions where the text of Exodus bears evidence that the author was well-acquainted with the history, education, geography, flora and fauna of Egypt. All of this shows that the account of the Exodus as recorded in the Bible appropriates loanwords, phrases, symbols, beliefs, cosmology, and much more material from Egypt; all of which gives great indication that the author of the Book of Exodus obviously had intimate knowledge of Egyptian culture.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In sum, the most obvious way to understand the convergence between the book of Exodus and Egyptian sources is to view the Israelites as Western Semites who lived in Egypt in the period preceding the twelfth century B.C.E. The Exodus of the Israelite tribes from Egypt must be considered an historic event; the silence of Egyptian sources about it is no argument to the contrary.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>So far, archaeological investigations have failed to uncover any direct evidence from ancient Egypt or the modern Sinai Peninsula which testifies to an Israelite sojourn in Egypt or to the Exodus itself and the wanderings in the desert. However, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. While it cannot be said with certainty that we can confirm or deny the authorship of the book by Moses himself, the author’s thorough and uncanny knowledge of Egyptian culture and beliefs, as well as the prevalent use of loanwords and Egyptianisms, does provide good evidence to suggest the probability of a heavy cross-cultural exchange and appropriation of Egyptian culture within the Biblical account of Exodus.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biblical and/or Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology, PhD

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Alexander, Dorian W

Contributors dc:contributor

• Randall W. Younker
• Paul Z. Gregor
• Richard M. Davidson

• Egyptian Influence
• Archaeology
• Old Testament
• Exodus
• Biblical Studies
• Near Eastern Languages and Societies

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1859

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.andrews.edu:dissertations-3130